Toe running vs heel running?

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Replies

  • georgiaTRIs
    georgiaTRIs Posts: 229 Member
    Stay with natural gate. Do weight excercises to build strength. Try the sled at your gym. It is a great way to strengthen calf muscles. My issue was several hip stress fractures till I figured out how important including strength training into the routine was. Take care of the injury.
  • georgiaTRIs
    georgiaTRIs Posts: 229 Member
    absolutely. Running can be fun and a great way to push yourself to new heights. Running gave me confidence in myself, helped me drop weight, and accomplish lots (like runnung marathons).
  • karenlynn11
    karenlynn11 Posts: 1
    I'll echo the Born to Run club--toe running is best. There are other elements to come into good form. Worth reading the book. Maybe read it while you heal your calf? :) Good luck!!
  • robinaddison
    robinaddison Posts: 232 Member
    I am not a runner. Not now and never will be. However, I have torn my calf muscle - it hurts like a SOB!! My physio said it can happen just from having tight achilles tendons which I do, and which people who build up their lower body (like runners) are prone to having. His suggestion was to stretch - a lot, and not just before/after a run, but whenever you think of it. Stand on a step on your toes and let your heels hang over and down, and hold it. And, when you start your activity back up, if it hurts at all, stop and rest for a day or two or you'll just wind up re-injuring the muscle.
    Hope that helps.
  • ATT949
    ATT949 Posts: 1,245 Member
    I haven't read anything about running that recommends heel strike. I'm new to running (started in June) and have read through the forums on Runner's World and have read three books on running/marathoning(one Higdon, one RW, and one by "The Penguin" and a RW expert). All the advice is stay off your heels and move forward.

    As a result of the advice, I quickly changed from a heel strike to a mid-sole. It gave me the opportunity to get stronger calves but I don't have any other issues that can be attributed to changing my stride.
  • emergencytennis
    emergencytennis Posts: 864 Member
    I run two or three times a week for no more than 25 minutes. Running is just training for sport, not for weight loss or for fun. I do two days of delightful weight torture at the gym. I have been doing calf-strengthening exercises for 5 years to avoid a repeat of an Achilles injury - on the other leg!. Totally bummed that I got this injury for such a piss-poor effort.

    I disagree with running being training for a sport ad not for weight loss or for fun. Running has helped me a lot in my weight loss journey and quite honestly.. I do it because I enjoy it. So, it may not be fun or weight loss for YOU, but don't generalize how others should view it.

    Yes, sorry, that was a mistake as I said. I should have said MY running.
  • emergencytennis
    emergencytennis Posts: 864 Member
    Thank you everyone for the replies and advice. Sounds like my gait isnt to blame. I can tolerate ten single foot calf raises on the injured one today, yay.
  • toniRAD
    toniRAD Posts: 196 Member
    I've heard you're supposed to land on the middle of your foot and go right to your toes. That's what I do & I never have any pains. :)
  • normh545
    normh545 Posts: 81 Member
    I run two or three times a week for no more than 25 minutes. Running is just training for sport, not for weight loss or for fun. I do two days of delightful weight torture at the gym. I have been doing calf-strengthening exercises for 5 years to avoid a repeat of an Achilles injury - on the other leg!. Totally bummed that I got this injury for such a piss-poor effort.

    I disagree with running being training for a sport ad not for weight loss or for fun. Running has helped me a lot in my weight loss journey and quite honestly.. I do it because I enjoy it. So, it may not be fun or weight loss for YOU, but don't generalize how others should view it.

    i agree i have lost almost 2 stone in 7 weeks coz i have started running

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